Air Conditioners and Humidity

A common saying in Arizona which is frequently used is, “but it’s a dry heat!” Well that doesn’t always apply during the monsoon season. Prior to 2007, the start of the monsoon was defined as when the dew point for 3 consecutive days is 55 degrees or higher. This means that the air holds more moisture than usual. Air conditioners are designed to remove this humidity from the air. This water or condensation flows through PVC tubes to the outside of the house. You’ve probably noticed them on the side of your house. Now what happens if they don’t work?

Arizona Summer Thunderstorm Season is know as Monsoon

The beginning of July, the monsoon made its entrance. The monsoon brings with it high winds, dust and down pours which can result in flash flooding. When I first arrived in Arizona, I asked why a summer rain storm is called a monsoon storm. The answer I received was that the Arizona monsoon season begins when there are 3 consecutive days of an average dewpoint of 55 degrees or higher. On average this occurred on July 7th. Was this too hard to keep track of? Apparently so because in 2008 the National Weather Service decided to make it simpler and set firm dates for the beginning and end of the Arizona monsoon season. Since 2008, June 15th is the first day of the monsoon, and September 30th is the last day of this season when the weather can get really intense. During July-August-September the average rainfall is 2.65 inches. Click to learn more. Read the rest of this entry